


New Experiences

by GothicPrincessWitch



Series: Fenris Appreciation Month 2k17 [3]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: Fluff and Feels, M/M, Referenced past slavery, reading lessons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-17 03:05:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13067787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothicPrincessWitch/pseuds/GothicPrincessWitch
Summary: Fenris struggles with learning how to read.





	New Experiences

**Author's Note:**

  * For [theoxfordcommando](https://archiveofourown.org/users/theoxfordcommando/gifts).



> For Fenris Appreciation Month Day 19.

Learning to read is difficult for Fenris.

It’s frustrating for him because he’s self-aware enough to recognize what an apt learner he is. He had to be, when he was a slave. Between Danarius’s harsh training and volatility of manner, Fenris needed to learn fast and adapt quickly in order to get by. Then on the run, he’d had to learn very fast how to survive.

Compared to the challenges he’s already overcome, learning to read should be easy for him. But it isn’t.

What’s holding him back is back is shame, along with fear, and Fenris hates to admit this, even to himself.

The others can all read easily, have been able to nearly all their lives. Even Merrill, who spent most of her life away from humans, is able to effortlessly read the Free Marches’ common tongue. Sebastian can read in multiple languages, and Varric makes part of his loving off of the written word, although Hawke assures Fenris that it isn’t necessarily good writing.

They all have this skill, this knowledge, and the the ability to attain further knowledge through the application of this skill, that Fenris does not have. He’s separated from them in this. Through this failing, this lack, Fenris can’t help but feel beneath them in some way, so far behind that he’ll never be able to catch up, and he’s ashamed of it.

This is irrational. Of course it’s irrational. He knows this.

But Fenris has never given up no matter how much he struggles, so he keeps trying.

And every bit of progress is empowering. This was something that was denied him, ignorance used to hold him back and keep him in what he’d been told was his place, but now he is taking this and claiming it for himself. With every little more that he learns, he moves further away from being defined as the slave he was, and closer to being free. More free.

It was a choice that he’d made. Freedom was a choice, even if he hadn’t realized it at first. And with that comes choosing to continue to be free every single day, choosing to live the life of a free man, choosing to open himself to new experiences as a part of his freedom.

He confesses all of this to Hawke one evening, half-afraid Hawke’s view of him will turn to pity, but Hawke does not look at him or speak to him any differently.

Hawke is a patient teacher, showing that gentle kindness to Fenris which is hidden from the rest of the world. He’s supportive despite Fenris’s struggles. To help Fenris practice reading, Hawke writes and sends very long declarations of — well, they’re love letters, truth be told. Fenris cherishes each one.

When Fenris has finally learned enough to write one in return, he keeps it simple, though he knows it does not fully convey the depth of his feelings:

_Garrett Hawke,_

_Thank you._

_Yours,_   
_Fenris._

**Author's Note:**

> Previously posted on Tumblr.


End file.
